Motor-vehicle.



No. 684,535. Patented ont. l5, 190|. E. T, BmnsALL.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

(Application flied July 29, 1901. l (No Model.) 2 Sheets-$haet I.

N0. 684,535. Patented Oct. I5,|90|. E. T. BIRDSALL.

MTUR VEHICLE.

(Application Bled July 29, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Unirse STATES union.

amena EDWARD T. BIRDSALL, OF NEV ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO DESBERON MOTOR OAR COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

SPECIF'JCAIION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,535, dated October 15, 1901.

Application filed July 29, 1901. Serial No. 70,028. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. BIRDsALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Rochelle, in the county of Vestchester and State of NewYork, have made a new and useful Invention in Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements upon motor propelled vehicles designed for use upon common roads, and particularlyto that type of road-wagons known as commercial vehicles, such as are used for the transportation of merchandise and passengers; and it has for its objects, iirst, to do away with what is known as the reach in this class of vehicles-suoli, for instance, as is commonly used with wagons or carriages drawn by horses and also has been to some extent in use in connection with motor-vehicles, and, second, to so arrange the entire structure that the change-gear apparatus and driving mechanism directly attached to the main axle shall be flexibly connected to each other, so that the action of the springs and the twisting of the main frame of the vehicle shall have no tendency to cause any of the bearings to bind or in any manner create undue friction. These several objects are accomplished in the use of the machine hereinafter described, and for a full and clear understanding of which, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to construct and use the same, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in whiche- Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a complete motor-vehicle embodying my improvements, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the major portion thereof as seen looking at Fig. l from the top toward the bottom of the drawings. Fig. 3 is a part-elevational, partesectional View of my novel means for flexibly or yieldingly supporting or suspending the driving-gear mechanism and its surrounding case, the major portion of which parts are pivotally supported directly by the axle. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3 as seen looking thereat from the top toward the bottom of the drawings,the side bars of the frame, however, being omitted in this viewt Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken through Fig. et on the line o: w. Fig. 6 is a side elevational view upon a smaller scale, illustrating the manner of suspending the supporting gear-casing in a modified manner, the link which connects the casing to the frame of the machine in this instance being attached at its lower end to the ex trelne outer or free end of said su pgorting-casing. l

Referring now to the drawings in detail, c represents the driving-axle, and w w w w the wheels of the machine, c a being iron T-rails constituting the side bars of the frame, and c3 c3 angle-irons constituting the cross-bars properly braced at their opposite ends and secured by bolts directly to the side bars, o2 being a similar longitudinal angle-iron properly braced at its opposite ends between the cross-bars as c3 and located parallel with the A .ends and secured between one of the side bars a and the parallel angle-iron a2 and acting as a support for the rear end of the en` gine llf-in the present instance a steam-engine-e-the front end of which is directly supported by the front cross-bar c3.

s s's s represent the springs of the vehicle, and bc the boiler box or cover.

grepresents the master gear-wheel of the driving-gearing, connected to the axle e by the usual form of differential gearingainclosed in a casing d, said differential gearing 'being preferably connected directly to the axle by any well-known form of spring or other means for yieldingly transmitting the power to the axle e when suddenly applied.

c is an exterior supporting-casing adapted to act also as a dust-guard and oil-reservoir for the differential and connecting gears. This casing is pivotally supported upon the axle with the gearing, and the free end thereof is provided with separable journal-bearings t' m, located in alinementwitb the main driving axle, said journal-bearings being for the purpose of supporting the outer end of a flexible line of shafting e, made flexible by universal jointsj To the outer end of the frame is secured a link l, preferably of U form, (see Fig. 3,) its upper end being provided with a screw-neck n and a ball-andsocket bearing, the ball part b thereof being adapted to move freely in a socket s between the two parts of a metallic block f, secured ICO by bolts b to metallic channet-rons a a, the outer ends of which are separated by metallic blocks o o, which are secured by bolts b2 b2 b2, passing through the channel-irons, the outer ends of said channel-irons being in 'turn secured directly to the side bars c ct of the frame by bolts b b', the arrangement being such that when all of the parts are in position, as shown, the free or movable end of the iexible line of shafting c is adapted to partake of any movement to which the vehicle may subject it and yet not vary the working relations between the driving-pinion carried thereby and the master-wheel g, this feature constituting one of the essential elcinents of my invention.

g g2 and p p constitute the change-gear apparatus, of wellknown form, the gearwheels g g2 being carried directly by the flexible line of shafting e', and the pinions p p adapted to be moved in and out of gear in a well-known manner.

7n is the clutch connecting the engine directly with the shaft e2, said clutch being of usual forni and of such a nature as to yield sufficiently to prevent undue strains upon the shaft.

r is the brake-rod, operatively connected with the necessary lever carried by the axle e (see Fig. 1) and additional branch brake-rods r2 r2. and brake-rod b4, carrying brake-shoes bs bs, these matters being of wellknown form.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 the lower end of the link Z is secured directly to an extension ot' the free end of the support-` ing-casing, which extension may be of any length, dependent, of course, upon the flexibility ofthe line of shafting e'.

Although I have shown my invention as applicable to motor vehicles propelled by a steam-engine, I wish it understood that the essential features thereof are applicable in connection with all types of motor-vehiciessuch, for instance, as are driven by gasoleneengines and electric motors-or in connection with' such` sources of motive power as will naturally suggest themselves to the builder aDduSer, and I desire it understood that my claims are to be construed as of such scope as to include all such vehicles.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a motor-vehicle the combination of the driving-wheels operatively connected to the gearing for driving the differential, said parts y being all inclosed in an oil and dust tight supporting-casing; in combination with a universally-jointed link connecting one end of the casing with the main frame ofthe vehicle, substantially as described.

8. A motor-Vehicle having a main drivingaxle, a supporting-casing free to revolve upon said axle and containing the differential and its driving-gear, the front end of said supporting-casing being connected to a universally-jointed link, which in turn is connected to the main frame of the vehicle, substantially as described. A

4. In a motor-vehicle the combination of an engine, a clutch orcoupling, a change-gear mechanis1n,a universally-jointed connectingshaft, a casing supported and free to revolve upon the main axle and flexibly connected lto the main frame of the vehicle, substantially as described.

5. A motor-vehicle having driving-gearing pivotally supported upon one of the axles of the vehicle; together with a pinion meshing with the master-Wheel of said driving-gearing, said parts being inclosed in a supportingcasing adapted to partake of movement with the gearing about the axle, the opposite ends of the shaft which supports the pinion having journal-bearings in the supporting-casing, said casing being in turn attached to a link the upper end of which is connected by balland-socket joint to the main frame of the vehicle, one end of the shaft which supports the pinion being connected by a Iiexible line of shafting with change-gear mechanism operatively connected with the driving-motor, substantially as described.-

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. EDWARD T. BIRDSALL.

Witnesses:

C. J. KINTNER, M. F. KEATING. 

